Chapter 41: 89th-Level Gu Rong: Old Poison, You Actually Broke Through to Titled? And You Haven't Joined the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect Yet?
"Many thanks for the Sect Master's reward!
"This subordinate will go through fire and water for the Sect Master, even if it means death ten thousand times!"
Dugu Bo's voice trembled with excitement as he pulled his son, Dugu Xin, who was beside him.
Without hesitation, he knelt on one knee, performing the most solemn oath of fealty.
Although Dugu Bo had made many gestures of loyalty before,
now that Yu Jingcheng had given him another Soul Bone,
Dugu Bo felt he should at least put on a show to make his attitude clear.
"Enough, dispense with these empty formalities."
Yu Jingcheng waved his hand.
"Absorb it right here. I'll act as your Protector.
After absorbing it, we'll set off immediately."
"Yes!"
Not daring to delay, Dugu Bo immediately sat down cross-legged,
pressed the ten-thousand-year Iron Armor Demon Bear Right Arm Bone against his own right arm, and began channeling his Soul Power to guide and absorb it.
A moment later.
Accompanied by a low bear's roar emanating from within Dugu Bo's body,
he abruptly opened his eyes, a flash of dark golden, heavy light passing over his right arm.
He could clearly feel his right arm brimming with explosive power; even his overall Physique and defensive capabilities had risen to a new level.
"Thank you, Sect Master!"
Dugu Bo stood up and bowed respectfully once more, his eyes filled with barely suppressed joy.
Yu Jingcheng gave a slight nod, said nothing more, and turned to look at Little Gold.
"Little Gold."
"Your current size and aura are too conspicuous. Following me back to the human World would be inconvenient.
"Return first to the territory of the Golden Earth Dragon Clan on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.
"That is your base.
After returning, continue to rule your clan, and at the same time, use your newly Awakened devouring ability,
to secretly hunt down solitary light-attribute Soul Beasts, accelerating the transformation of your Bloodline."
"Roar——"
Little Gold let out a low, submissive dragon's roar, its massive head affectionately nuzzling Yu Jingcheng's palm.
Then, with a powerful beat of its wings, it stirred up a fierce gale,
its huge body transforming into a streak of golden light that soon vanished.
"Let's go."
"Back to Heaven Dou City."
Yu Jingcheng flicked his sleeve and led Dugu Bo and his son away.
Outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Yu Jingcheng's footsteps suddenly halted.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze piercing through the dense forest ahead.
In his perception, an extremely powerful aura, yet one carrying hints of haste and disorder,
was rushing towards their direction at an astonishing speed.
"Soul Power fluctuations at the Soul Douluo level..."
Yu Jingcheng murmured softly.
Almost simultaneously, Dugu Bo, who had just absorbed the ten-thousand-year spirit bone and greatly increased in strength, also sensed the anomaly.
His expression changed abruptly, his previously restrained aura instantly erupting,
the pressure belonging to a Titled Douluo faintly stirring.
Without the slightest hesitation, he took a step forward, blocking Yu Jingcheng's front like an iron tower.
"Be careful, Sect Master!"
Dugu Bo's gaze was sharp as lightning, fixed intently on the direction the aura came from, as he said in a deep voice:
"The newcomer is not weak and is approaching aggressively. This subordinate will intercept him!"
"No matter, let's observe first."
Yu Jingcheng stood with his hands behind his back, his expression calm.
In just a short moment.
Accompanied by the loud crashes of trees snapping,
a gray-black figure shot out from the depths of the dense forest like a gale, sending a flurry of leaves dancing into the air.
The newcomer abruptly stopped, warily looking at Yu Jingcheng and the other two.
Using the light filtering through gaps in the forest canopy, Yu Jingcheng made out the person's appearance.
This was a man of extremely tall stature, but with a skeletal frame that was surprisingly large.
His face was gaunt, his eyes sunken, exuding an aura of gloom and eeriness.
Seeing this highly distinctive face, a name instantly flashed through Yu Jingcheng's mind.
Bone Douluo, Gu Rong?
However, Yu Jingcheng quickly shook his head inwardly, rejecting this title.
Right now, he was still only a Soul Douluo.
Moreover, he hadn't joined the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect yet!
(The earlier Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect segment has been revised. At this time, the Sect Master should not be Ning Fengzhi. Changed to Ning Fengzhi's mother, Ning Meilan, with Grand Elder Long Hua, Martial Soul Earth Dragon, 96th-level Super Douluo.)
(The original work doesn't mention when Gu Rong joined the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect; the comic version seems to have a slightly different setting? We'll go with this setting here.)
Just as Yu Jingcheng was pondering to himself, Dugu Bo, blocking the front, let out a soft sound of surprise tinged with astonishment.
"It's actually him?"
Dugu Bo slightly turned his head and reported to Yu Jingcheng in a lowered voice:
"Sect Master, I know this person.
His name is Gu Rong, his Martial Soul is the extremely rare mutated Martial Soul 'Bone Dragon'.
His current Soul Power should be that of an 89th-level Soul Douluo, just one step away from Titled Douluo.
This old fellow usually moves like a ghost, appearing and disappearing unpredictably. I didn't expect to run into him here."
Just as Dugu Bo was introducing him to Yu Jingcheng, Gu Rong on the opposite side also recovered from his state of rapid flight.
Flickering, Dark green light shone from his sunken eye sockets as his gaze instantly locked onto Dugu Bo, who was blocking the front.
"Old Poison?!"
Gu Rong exclaimed in shock.
Both being famous powerhouses in the Soul Master World, they naturally had dealings with each other.
In Gu Rong's impression, although Dugu Bo's poison skills were troublesome, he had always been tormented by the backlash of his own toxins, making his cultivation progress extremely slow.
But now...
Gu Rong stared intently at Dugu Bo, sensing the Soul Power fluctuations emanating from him.
His face was filled with astonishment.
This aura definitely surpassed the limits of a Soul Douluo!
"You... you actually broke through to Titled Douluo?!"
Gu Rong's bulging eyes widened, his voice distorted by extreme shock.
"How is that possible?
Your poison..."
He knew all too well how severe the hidden dangers within Dugu Bo's body were.
How could he not only resolve the backlash
but also cross the chasm countless Soul Masters dream of in such a short time?
Seeing Gu Rong's expression as if he'd seen a ghost, Dugu Bo couldn't help but feel a surge of intense secret delight and pride.
Subconsciously straightening his back, he glanced with reverence at the corner of his eye towards Yu Jingcheng behind him, before turning his gaze back to Gu Rong.
Dugu Bo crossed his arms, looking down at Gu Rong with a mocking sneer curling at the corner of his mouth:
"Gu Rong, this old man's Breakthrough to Titled Douluo is naturally due to my own fortune."
"But as for you, old bones..."
Dugu Bo looked Gu Rong up and down, taking in his somewhat disheveled appearance, raised an eyebrow, and inquired:
"You, a dignified 89th-level Soul Douluo, running around the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest like a stray dog,
moving so fast—what exactly is the reason?
Did you perhaps offend some Titled powerhouse and are being hunted?"
Hearing Dugu Bo's barbed teasing,
under normal circumstances, Gu Rong would definitely have retorted a few words.
But at this moment, Gu Rong only let out a bitter laugh, his face full of ill-fortune and exhaustion.
Gu Rong heaved a long sigh, shook his head, and said:
"Don't mention it, Old Poison. Do you think I want to run this ragged?
"A few days ago, I had my eye on a high-quality ten-thousand-year spirit bone, intending to seize it as an opportunity for my Breakthrough to Titled Douluo.
Who would have thought that halfway through, someone would butt in, and I ended up offending people from the Spirit Hall."
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